Blog originally posted on visitRaleigh.com. Since the opening of Poole’s Diner in 2007, Raleigh, N.C., passionate mind and James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen has transformed the restaurant scene in the City of Oaks. Christensen released her first cookbook in Sept. 2016, Poole’s: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner. Full of beautiful photography, inspiring messages and secrets to delicious meals, Christensen’s cookbook tells the story of the downtown diner that tugs on the heartstrings of many folks in the capital city. We’ve published a quintessential Southern recipe and its story from the book below: Ashley’s pimento cheese! You can purchase a signed copy of the book here or at retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and more. Story Behind the Recipe “In the South, pimento cheese is a little bit like barbecue: everyone swears theirs is the best. But pimento cheese didn’t originate in the South; it has roots in the industrial food revolution in New York. Sometime around the 1950s, Southerners claimed it, giving pimento cheese its now-permanent residence below the Mason-Dixon Line. The Poole’s version of pimento cheese is based on the recipe of my “grand-godmother”—my godmother’s mother, Marge France. Marge was the wife of Forest “Bud” France, a decorated army lieutenant colonel and a train master for the B&O Railroad (he was the one who kept the trains running on time). Their only child, my godmother, Suzette, had no children, and Bud and Marge took on the role of grandparents to me and my brother, Zak. We called them Uncle Bud and Aunt Marge, and in many ways I felt closer to them than to my biological grandparents. Uncle Bud was an avid golfer and often took me out with him, armed with two sets of clubs and a tiny cooler of homemade pimento cheese sandwiches packed by Aunt Marge. Halfway through a day on the links, Uncle Bud would pull the golf cart under a shade tree where we’d eat the sandwiches. For me, pimento cheese is inextricably linked with the memory of the salty South Carolina summer heat, the smell of the freshly cut grass and the outlines of my small fingers impressed in the cool white bread. Marge’s pimento cheese...

Always running around on weeknights? Parla Pasta is my new solution to a fast, delicious meal. Parla Pasta is made in High Point, North Carolina by Rick and Simone Drake. The Drake family has been crafting small-batch pasta since 1985 for restaurants and specialty stores that stake their reputation on quality Italian food. The pasta is made with all-natural ingredients and Parla Pasta guarantees there are no artificial preservatives. Parla Pasta is available at your local Harris Teeter, Publix, Lowes Foods and Fresh Market. Make sure to check the freezer section for a variety of options like Cheese Ravioli, Chicken and Spinach Florentine Ravioli, Four Cheese Manicotti and more. I decided on the Asiago Tortellini so I could make a delicious pesto sauce to accompany the pasta. Below is my quick and easy go-to pesto recipe adapted from the Food Network Kitchen. Basil Pesto Recipe Ingredients 2 cups packed basil leaves 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup pine nuts 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Pink Himalayan sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup freshly greated Peccorino cheese Directions Combine basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsley chopped. Add 1/2 cup of olive oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer pesto to a large mixing bowl and mix with the cheese. Simply boil the Asiago Tortellini Parla Pasta for about 7 minutes and top with the freshly made pesto. How easy was...

Il Palio and Chef Teddy Diggs invite you for evening of dining to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake that recently shook central Italy. On Thursday, September 1, all profits from the bar and dining room will be donated to the Italian Red Cross to support the relief efforts. The evening’s menu will feature an array of special dishes hailing from the regions in Italy affected by the earthquake, like the classic pasta Amatriciana from Matrice. Guests will be able to enjoy Il Palio’s regional Italian favorites along with wine pairings that were selected for the occasion. Bacco Selections will also offer wine tastings, and 100 percent of Bacco Selections wine sales will support the Italian Red Cross. Come for dinner in the restaurant or drop by for drinks and appetizers at the bar from 5:30-9pm. Reservations are available at ilpalio.com or by calling 919-918-2545. Il Palio is located at 1505 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill,...

My friends over at Cackalacky, Inc. recently added Beer-B-Q™ Seasoned Snack Peanuts to its lineup of Southern lifestyle product offerings. Cackalacky® Beer-B-Q™ Seasoned Snack Peanuts are super extra-large kiln-roasted NC-grown peanuts that are flavored with dried beer and Cackalacky’s secret blend of Famously Original™ barbecue spices. Beer-B-Q’s slightly sweet, lightly hoppy, and tangy barbecue seasoning flavor profile paired with roasted peanuts is a delightful celebration of “all things Cackalacky” as well as a savory contrast to the brand’s much more fiery Cackalacky® Spiced Snack Peanuts. Originally launched as a grill seasoning and barbecue rub in 2004, the company first debuted its BEER-B-Q™ flavor on the national stage in 2005 on Food Network’s “BBQ with Bobby Flay.” Headquartered in Siler City, North Carolina and now celebrating its fifteenth year in business, Cackalacky, Inc. is a Southern lifestyle brand specializing in Cackalacky® branded and licensed sauces, flavored snacks, and craft beer as well as Cackalacky® brand apparel and outdoor sporting wares. Cackalacky products are available in grocery stores and specialty shops throughout the U.S. as well as via the company’s website at...

My boyfriend Zayne and I have been paleo for one month. Ask us both what we miss the most and we’ll tell you, “pizza!” We live in New York City where pizza is available around every street corner and those $1 slices are just so easy to grab for a quick meal. Let’s just say, it’s been quite tempting. Last night, I decided to rid these pizza cravings once and for all. Thanks to the fine folks over at Wicked Spatula, I was able to create the most delicious grilled paleo pizza. You may be wondering why pizza is off limits to those practicing paleo. Well, dairy, flour and oil are off limits. Luckily, eggs, seeds and nuts are a paleo person’s best group of friends. As an alternative to your traditional pizza crust made with flour, this recipe calls for coconut and tapioca flour. Don’t worry, I had never used either of these flours before either. I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into but I gave it a shot and it turned out awesome! Paleo Pizza Crust Ingredients 1 cup tapioca starch 1/4 cup coconut flour 2 eggs 1 cup water Pinch of salt Toppings Your favorite pizza sauce (make sure it’s all natural and no sugar added!) Prosciutto (it’s just pork and salt – two essentials to life) Heirloom tomatoes Spinach Onion Green bell pepper Fresh Basil Instructions Preheat your grill to high before you begin making the pizza crust. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ingredients together for the crust until smooth (hint: the coconut flour likes to clump, make sure it’s completely smooth for best results!) Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat on your stove top (make sure it’s VERY hot!). Pour in just a tiny bit (seriously though, a TINY bit) of olive oil to grease the skillet. Pour in half the crust mixture and allow to cook until the top begins to set and bubble (this was the coolest part – the flours take no time at all to cook). Flip and allow to cook until the crust begins to crisp up. It should be golden brown and crisp on the outside....

Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most charming, historic towns. Small alleys filled with colorful lanterns and the aroma of flowers lead you to some of the best food stands in town. After spending a few days in Hoi An and tasting some of the town’s most iconic dishes, there were definitely four dishes that still leave me wanting just one more bite. Banh Bao Banh Vac Only one family in Hoi An possesses the recipe for banh bao banh vac or “white rose.” The family supplies all of Hoi An with these dainty dumplings. “White rose” is a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose. The dumplings are served topped with crunchy bits of toasted garlic and served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. The original location to visit for the “white rose” dish is located at 533 Hai Bà Trang, owner Tran Tuan Ngai is the third generation secret keeper of the traditional recipe. Hoành Thánh Chiên Hoành Thánh Chiên is quite the local specialty. This fried Hoi An wonton originally comes from China and has been adapted by the Vietnamese to suit the local taste. This particular wonton is made with rice flour and filled with ingredients like shrimp, pork, egg and spices. The Hoi An fried wonton is covered in a topping that reminds me of salsa. The topping includes a mixture of vegetables, pineapple and sweet and sour shrimp. The crunch and tangy, sweet flavors keep you coming back for more. Cao Lau Cao Lau is a dish made with noodles, pork and local greens. It’s only found in Hoi An and its unique taste and texture is achieved by using water from an undisclosed ancient Cham well located outside the town. This dish is different than typical Vietnamese noodle dishes because it has no soup. The locals call Cao Lau a “mixing dish” because it includes vegetables, thinly sliced pork and sauce on top of the noodles. It’s quite fun mixing all of the ingredients together on your own and adding lime juice or chili paste to taste. Com Ga Located down a small alley in the...